Clau

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Independent Clauses

• Group of words that has a subject and verb and can stand alone as a complete idea.

Which ones are examples?• I sharpened my pencil.• My cat ran around the corner.• Whenever I sharpen my pencil• Until my cat ran around the corner

Dependent Clauses(subordinate clauses)

• Group of words that has a subject and verb but cannot stand alone as a complete idea.

• Whenever I sharpen my pencil• Until my cat ran around the corner

Dependent clauses leave you wondering . . . .

• After Amy sneezed all over the salad,

• Once Adam smashed the spider,

• Until Mrs. Rhom finished her first Diet Mountain Dew,

• Who ate handfuls of prunes with his bare hands,

Introduced by Subordinating Conjunctions:(usually adverb clauses)

After although as because beforeEven if even if even though in orderThat once that rather providedThan since so that than thatThough unless until when wheneverWhere whereas while wherever whilewhy

Also introduced by Relative Pronouns:(usually adjective or noun clauses)

That who whoseWhich whoever whoseverWhichever whom whomever

Punctuating Dependent Clauses

• Dependent clauses are “baby” clauses because they CANNOT stand alone

• Independent clauses are “mama” clauses because they CAN stand alone

Just remember: Baby (comma) MamaMama (no comma) Baby

Your turn:

• Create two sentences using two different vocabulary words–1st sentence -- use a dependent clause

beginning with a relative pronoun–2nd sentence – use a dependent clause

using a subordinating conjunction

Review Clauses

• What is a clause?• What is the difference between a phrase and

a clause?• What is the name of a clause that can stand

alone?• What is the name of a clause that cannot

stand alone?